#2 – Is the call of Service. Ephesians 2:10; “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We were created for a purpose. What is that purpose? To reach the lost however he chooses. To work side by side with God to build His kingdom in whatever capacity that may be. For some it may be to serve in some aspect in the church, or you may be called to preach the Gospel; a call that will give you no peace until you answer. It may be a call to serve on the church board; it could be teaching a class or singing a song or sharing a testimony. Others may be called to be salt or light to others in their workplace and in their community; or, you may be called to be a Sower who sows seed…What-ever it may be, whatever gift or talent or skill you have, as a Christian, you are called to serve. God prepared – in advance of your becoming a Christian – a purpose and a place for you to serve.
#3. - WE ARE CALLED TO PEACE. Colossians 3:15 says – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.” There are two kinds of peace that God gives us: 1) We have peace with God. 2) We have the peace of God. We First find Peace WITH God as we receive Christ and come into right relationship with God. Then, we experience the peace of God as we walk with Him day by day. In his “sermon on the Mount” Jesus said we are also to be “peacemakers” wherever, and whenever, possible.
#4 - WE ARE CALLED TO BLESSINGS. In fact, we are blessed to be a blessing! - 1 Peter 3:9 “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” The Christian believer is called to inherit blessings. What kind of blessings? Well, spiritual blessings; material blessings; financial blessings; physical blessings; yes, all of these and more. Deuteronomy 28:1-2 says “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:” then verses 3-12 list the many blessings -”You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country” It does not matter where you live! “The fruit of your womb will be blessed”…Your kids will be blessed! ”Your flocks, your crops, your basket – or grocery bag – “You will be blessed when you come in when you go out, when you rise up, when you sit down, blessed, blessed, blessed! I won’t take the time to read it all, but I encourage you to look at Deuteronomy 28 and be encouraged by it.
#5 – We are called out of darkness into light. 1 Peter 2:9 – “But, you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” “Darkness” in the Bible is used in several different ways. For instance, it is used to describe the world or those who are without the light of the Gospel. It is used to describe sin and evil and the evil deeds of those who are in darkness. It is also used to describe the moral and spiritual ignorance of those “whose minds have been darkened” by Satan. It is where every Christian was at one time before being “called” … That’s right, we were in darkness. But, God “called us out of darkness and into the light.”
The light consists of life and beauty and morals and good values and godliness and righteous-ness…and we are called to “live in the light as He is in the light”… Sadly, there are many who would rather choose to live in darkness.
There are still two more that I will talk about next time; from Romans 8:28 – “we are called according to his purpose… and then coming full circle back to this scripture in 2 Timothy 1:9 – that we are “called to a holy life”…The little word “and” becomes very important in our knowledge of God and our calling for it says God “saved us” AND “called us to a holy life”. The two are joined at the hip – so to speak – by the word “AND”. If we are saved, then we are also called.
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